Tammy Eller Whitworth

Year Inducted: 2020

Tammy Eller Whitworth was born in North Wilkesboro, NC, in 1967. She graduated from West Wilkes High School in 1986. She attended Meredith College in Raleigh and graduated in 1990 with a double major in economics and political science. 

Tammy started her lifelong career in the home improvement industry in 1994 at a building supply warehouse in Atlanta, GA. In 1998, she and her late husband, Todd, purchased their first Window World franchise in Wilmington, NC. In the years that followed, the couple opened and operated several additional locations in North Carolina and Virginia. During the mid-2000s, Todd moved into the corporate office in North Wilkesboro and was named president. In 2007 when Todd’s parents retired, he purchased the business. Now, Todd and Tammy could follow their vision and turn Window World into an industry-changing and industry-leading force. When Todd died unexpectedly in 2010, Tammy became sole owner and CEO. In one of her first decisions, Tammy formed a board of directors and an internal advisory council to advise her. 

Building on past success, Tammy advanced Window World’s growth by expanding its product lines and vendor base in an initiative that led to a state-of-the-art offering of high-quality home improvement products. Her strong understanding of the consumer helped Tammy make the product offering flawless, while her hands-on knowledge of the business model continued shaping the company’s success. By 2020, the number of Window World locations topped 200 in 48 states, and the company had been named America’s number one national home improvement and remodeling company by Qualified Remodeler magazine for 14 consecutive years. Additionally, Window World has earned the coveted J.D. Power award for customer satisfaction multiple times, and the company’s products carry the prestigious Good Housekeeping Seal. While these accomplishments set the company apart from its competitors, Tammy believes much of Window World’s success comes from being a national brand with local ownership and a family approach that allows individual stores to cater to their communities’ unique needs. 

An area of immense pride for Tammy was establishing the company’s charitable arm — Window World Cares. Giving back had always been important, but Window World Cares allowed Tammy to expand her passion for supporting a children’s charity. The seed was planted years earlier with Todd and Tammy’s first child, Anna Grace, who was born 12 weeks premature and spent the first 51 days of life in the neonatal intensive care unit. Window World and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital soon became the perfect fit, and in 2010, Window World Cares was named “New Corporate Partner of the Year.” Since its inception, Window World Cares has given over $11.75 million to the kids of St. Jude. In 2011, Window World partnered with John Andretti to create an Indy Car named The Stinger, a modern-day version of the original 1911 Marmon Wasp, to commemorate the 100th running of the Indy 500. For the next five years, the Stinger traveled all over the U.S., collecting the signatures of 273 living starters and champions of the race. In 2016, The Stinger and other items were auctioned, raising over $1 million in a single night to benefit St. Jude. In 2017, the hospital gave Window World the “Organizational Support Award.”

Window World also supports our nation’s veterans through several veterans service organizations (VSO). Window World supports the Veterans Airlift Command (VAC), where it provides free, private air transportation to wounded warriors and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes. Since 2008, Window World has flown over 115 missions and has contributed over $2.5 million in flights and in-kind donations to VAC. Window World launched the Window World Military Initiative (WWMI) in 2020 and was one of only 69 companies awarded the “Military Friendly Employer” designation in 2021. WWMI supports several other VSOs through the All Veteran Group parachute team and Team Red, White & Blue.

In addition to the company’s philanthropic and outreach programs, Window World remains a constant supporter of many local businesses and organizations. The company has supported Wilkes Community College (WCC) as presenting sponsor of MerleFest since 2015 and provides annual sponsorships for the Henry Moore Scholarship Golf Classic and SkillsUSA. Other local sponsorships include Wilkes County Schools, Wilkes County Hall of Fame, Wilkes County Parks and Recreation, North Wilkesboro’s Concerts on the Deck, Wilkes ADAP, Special Olympics, Blue Ridge First in Families, Children’s Hope Alliance, Carolina in the Fall, Drives Fore Drake, Hugh Martin Memorial Golf Tournament, The Watauga-Ashe-Wilkes (WAW) Endowment, and several other scholarship golf tournaments. In 2020, Window World fulfilled a 4-year pledge of $100,000 per year to each of Wilkes County’s four high schools and renewed the pledge of $100,000 a year to each of the county’s four middle schools. Tammy has devoted her time to serving on various local boards, such as Rainbow Center, Barium Springs Home for Children, Wilkes County Hall of Fame (founding member), Wells Fargo Advisory Board, and Wilkes Community College Endowment Board. 

In 2015, Tammy was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and underwent treatment for it, including a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. She is cancer-free today and is an avid supporter of annual mammograms and breast health. She has since learned that stress was a principal cause of her cancer and now takes time to be grateful for her health through exercise.

Tammy lives in North Wilkesboro and is a member of Celebration Church. Her family includes her fiancé, Chris Bishop, and three children:  Anna Grace, a junior at Wake Forest University; Wyatt, a freshman at WCC; and Tucker, a sophomore at West Wilkes. Her parents are Larry and Helen Eller of Millers Creek. Her only sibling, Jamie Eller, lives in Roanoke, VA, with his wife, Jamie, and their children, Cole and Megan. Tammy’s passions include traveling with her family and showing American Saddlebred horses with Anna Grace and Chris.